Blazers make a change

[Hitmen1]

The Blazers have fired head coach Barry Smith.


"Our results this year are not acceptable," Bonner said. “We will not tolerate being an average team at this stage. I particularly disliked our structure and the direction our team was headed, along with the lack of emotion we have shown of late. Since I saw little to suggest that the team was trying to make the adjustments necessary to turn our play around, we had little option but to make a change."

Bonner added, “We want an aggressive type of play. We want an emotional and hard-working team. We want a team that is not standing

http://gdrinnan.blogspot.com/

[scamperdog]

Same crap, different year, ownership changes, the world is suppose to get better, but no the real blazer tradition just keeps on going and going, and every year I wonder why do I keep buying season tickets

[blazerhockey]

you think someone will finally get it right? but ya it just seems same old everyone is saying the right thing but until this team starts playing real hockey then i am not convinced yet ill still go to the games.

[hockeypsycho]

Why so negative? You have a very good group of players. It's not their fault their coach failed to maintain their attention. From what I heard he was too negative and authoritarian . . . that doesn't work anymore, if it ever did. It certainly didn't work in Lethbridge.
If we want the "boys" to behave like men, we have to treat them like men. When I was an employer I didn't yell and scream at my employees. Everyone knows you don't get the best out of anyone with a negative approach, especially in the long run. I hope the new person in charge of your team in more of a "players' coach" and that "the boys" respond by playing the best they can.
I think management sent the right signal, mediority will not be tolerated, even if it means sucking up a big contract.
I hear that Michael Dyck might be your next coach . . . I know some of the Lethbridge players really liked him . . . it would be interesting to ask some of them what they thought. Justin Leclerc was with us under Dyck . . . he asked to be traded . . . but I think that had something to do with the GM.

[patsdude114]

The Blazers looks very good when they were in Regina, does your GM know/remember how tough that road trip is on the players. Very few teams come out of there west/East trips with a winning record. I think that firing was uncalled for after your yearly trip out east.

If things stayed the same midway thru november then by all means fire him. Every coach could be fired after those road trips out to the eastern conference or out to the western conference. NOT A EASY TRIP BY ANYMEANS!!

[blazerhockey]

ya i think the firing was a bit pre mature if things werent progressing within the next 10 to 15 games then i could see a firing. but now i think it rattled the team a little too much.